Swept into office in June last year by voters seeking a change in city government, Mayor James Davis is still benefiting from a tide of goodwill, but with his learning curve over, residents want results.
He’s had successes and challenges.
Supporters point to the settling of the years-long teacher contract, the settling of three lawsuits dealing with the development of the former MOTBY, and the less-than-expected 2.9 percent tax increase as three early triumphs.
They also commend his diversity in hiring; support for recreation, the arts, and city beautification efforts; and the reintroduction of the Bayonne Hometown Fair.
But critics denounce the selection of his ex-wife’s nephew as chief of staff, the appointment of several out-of-town residents to key posts, and what they say is excessive hiring and promotion.
They also cite the impending dissolution of the city zone management program, the purchase of new furniture and flooring for his office, and the introduction of a state pension bill that they say was written to specifically benefit the mayor.
“I think he’s done an incredible job in this year,” said Nicholas Chiaravalloti, Democratic candidate for the 31st District Assembly seat which includes Bayonne. Chiaravalloti was Davis’s pick for the post.
“He settled the teachers’ contract, he settled the outstanding lawsuits at the base, and he’s bringing new development into town. That leads to more tax ratables, which is in the best interests of the city.”
Chiaravalloti said that as he travels throughout the state he hears people trumpeting Bayonne’s business climate.
He also said that the mayor’s open-door policy has created a more positive view of government and changed the feeling in the community, as did bringing back the Bayonne Hometown Fair.
“I think he’s had an incredible first year and I’m comfortable that it’ll continue,” he said.
Challenges ahead
Attorney Patrick Conaghan backed Mayor Mark Smith in the election last year and ran for mayor twice himself. “Going into that job the first several months are a learning curve, and I think Jimmy adapted very well,” he said. “He’s a gentleman and people like him and want to see him do well. I think he’s brought things together. He’s got a tough road to hoe though.”
Though Conaghan did not support Davis in his mayoral run, Davis supported Conaghan in his mayoral runs, and knew him for the more than 20 years that Conaghan was a lawyer and judge, and Davis, a police officer.
He said Davis will have his hands full over the next three years, as the school board changes to an elected one this fall and the city tries to right its financial ship.
“Jimmy is a very fair minded guy. He’s a good listener; he’s got good people around him,” Conaghan said.
Former Mayor Len Kiczek, who held the office from 1994 to 1998, said that Davis benefitted from his experience working for the city.
“He had the advantage of a shorter learning curve, than coming in cold,” he said. “The problem is that there is so much going on, so the first year you’re faced with absorbing what you’ve been left with.” Kiczek said that Davis did well, living up to his main campaign promise of settling the teachers contract, which he did two months into office.
“You haven’t seen any other real strong achievements, but you never do,” he said. “That takes four years.”
Kiczek said he thinks Davis has done well in not getting too emotionally involved in issues and letting them overtake him, instead analyzing if the stances he takes are right for the city.
He said that handling the traffic problems generated by the Bayonne Bridge and Turnpike toll plaza projects will be one of Davis’s main challenges in office.
“I know he’s taking a lot of heat for hiring people from out of town,” Kiczek said. “You normally select those from the campaign who have talent. Those in his campaign did. There could be others who could do the job, but you do have to have some loyalty. All things being equal, you need somebody you can trust.”
Realtor and former city councilman Ben Costanza thinks Davis’s ability to reach the average resident is among his greatest strengths.
“He’s exciting, he’s friendly, and he’s really connected with the community,” Costanza said. “He’s really an optimist. He’s got a lot of ideas, a lot of motivation.”
Costanza, also a Bayonne Chamber of Commerce board member, said Davis’s administration has been proactive on a number of development projects. He likes that Davis is trying to rehabilitate Broadway, but feels too much emphasis has been put on developing Route 440.
“The honeymoon’s going to be over soon, so we’re expecting some results from him over the next couple of years,” Costanza said.
Vocal critic
Downtown resident Peter Franco, probably Davis’s biggest critic, does not feel that Davis has had a great first year and is skeptical of many of his policies.
“I’m concerned,” he said. “I think we’ve blown through a lot of the concession money,” referring to the money set aside by the Bayonne Municipal Utilities Authority for property tax relief.
Franco is also concerned about what he said was excessive hiring and increases in spending. He doesn’t think Davis has done much to address the city’s structural deficit, the approximately $20 to $24 million hole Bayonne starts with each year from past bonding for projects and other fiscal policies.
“Going into that job the first several months are a learning curve, and I think Jimmy adapted very well.” – Patrick Conaghan
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“There’s still no plan in place to address the deficit,” Franco said. “If we’re not addressing it year after year, it becomes massive. If he ran the city efficiently and things were good, I wouldn’t have a complaint.”
Other complaints
One political observer, who asked that his name not be used, said Davis’s administration did an inadequate job of snow plowing last winter, and unnecessarily promoted some public safety employees. He is also unhappy with the traffic problems arising from the two ongoing transportation projects and what he feels is the influence of out of towners on the mayor’s decisions.
“I’m scared about who’s running the ship,” he said.
The source is also critical of the alleged $11 million in missing Bayonne Board of Education money that has never turned up and what he said is a lack of a plan to address the structural deficit. With city taxes rising only 2.9 percent this year, he is concerned about the future.
“We’re looking at an Armageddon situation for 2016,” he said.
He applauded the mayor’s bringing back the Hometown Fair and adding recreation programs.
Len Kantor, an opponent of the Davis slate in last year’s election, and then a supporter in the ensuing runoff, believes that the mayor is concentrating too heavily on bringing new residential development to the city, rather than mixing it up with retail projects.
He said these projects will cause parking problems, create the need for more schools, and bring a large hike in taxes.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.To comment on this story online visit www.hudsonreporter.com.